pccenter

STD's/Sexually Transmitted Diseases

The decisions you make now concerning sex can affect you for the rest of your life. This means that if you are having sex you can get a sexually transmitted disease or STD. You can get a STD anytime you have sex. Today there are more than 25 major STD's and many of these do not have a cure.

Who's at risk:

Over 65 million Americans are infected with an incurable STD. Each year 29 million more become infected and almost 4 million of these are teenagers. Check out the sexual exposure chart. You are not just exposing yourself to one partner. When you have sex with someone you are exposed to the number of partners they have had as well. Check out the link above. Get the facts and make an informed decision about whether you should have sex or not.

Common STD'S

Chlamydia

• most common bacterial STD
• transmitted through vaginal, anal or oral sex
• 3/4 of women & 1/2 of men with this have no symptoms
• can be treated & cured if a woman gets tested, BUT if left untreated it can damage a woman's reproductive organs causing her to be unable to have children.

Gonorrhea

• is a bacteria that causes genital infections
• transmitted through vaginal, anal or oral sex
• can occur without symptoms
• can be treated & cured if tested
• can be passed onto the baby

• caused by Herpes Simplex Virus
• no cure
• transmitted through direct contact with infected secretions--vaginal, anal or oral
• no clinical proof that condoms are effective in reducing the risk of herpes.
• few or no symptoms
• 1 in 5 teens have genital herpes

• is a group of viruses that cause genital warts and cervical cancer.
• most common STD
• spread by gential contact, skin-to-skin contact, genital touching & sexual contact
• most do not show symptoms
• no cure

Every year 19 million people become infected with an STD! Half of these will be lifelong infections.